I don't know if you've been following the congressional hearings at all; I have no life now that these have started. I can't sleep because I'm afraid I'll miss something in commentary. It was the Attorney General's turn this afternoon; it went for just over two hours and ended about forty minutes ago, my time.

Have you seen my President Obama around? Tumblr describes him like the ex who keeps being invited to stuff just because he's so endearing. There was an instagram with Prince Harry the other day. Thank God for him, because he's been doing his own G-7 thing under the wire and helping to calm things down. Last week it was the 73rd Anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy. My uncle John was there.

He bayoneted a boy in a machine-gun nest, a kid who wasn't old enough to shave, and he kept his canteen and sword. That was Europe, a generation ago. Twenty-seven words were lifted from Trump's speech, words that upheld Nato, Article 5. No intellectual curiosity clouds this guy's judgment, no sense of history, and no honor whatsoever.

God Almighty, we need to get this idiot back to his old life. He doesn't belong in the White House.

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

You mean the "My name is Jeff Sessions, I know nothing, I heard nothing, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you anyway" speech? Yes, we get informed about it. Due to the time difference, I haven't been able to watch it live, though.

Padfoot wrote:You mean the "My name is Jeff Sessions, I know nothing, I heard nothing, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you anyway" speech? Yes, we get informed about it. Due to the time difference, I haven't been able to watch it live, though.

Watching it live is no bonus, but I can't help it. I need to know what's going on.

I've got a friend who stopped watching the news in 2004, and I don't know how she does it. This morning I was doing laundry, and saw that terrible fire in London. That building looked like a matchstick going up. And as I was following that, a guy with a rifle shoots up the Congressional baseball practice! That's what's being covered right now...

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

2009 - Lakanal House tower block catches fire killing 6 people. The local authority is prosecuted for lapses in fire safety. A review is promised by the Labour government after pressure from the Fire Protection Association (FPA).

2010 - Building Regulations Act is published, including provisions for fire safety. Conservatives win election, a review is promised by the new government after more pressure from the FPA and warnings that the BR act does not go far enough.

2013 - Boris Johnson overrules the ruling body of the London Fire Brigade and uses legal action to inflict £29m in cuts. Closing 10 fire stations, cutting firefighters by 552, losing 14 fire engines and cutting minimum staffing levels from 5 to 4. By the time he steps down as Mayor of London he inflicts a further £100m in cuts to £130m total and the loss of 7000 firefighters. Fire prevention measures carried out by the service drop by over 25%. When challenged by a committee on fire safety on how cutting the fire service would not increase deaths, Boris replies “get stuffed”.

2013 - All Party Parliamentary Group on Fire Safety and Rescue produces a report strongly recommending installation of fire suppression systems and sprinklers in 4000 tower blocks throughout Britain. The Grenfell residents action group publishes a report warning that their landlord is putting their safety at risk by restricting the access ways to their car park. They are ignored by their landlord.

2013 - 2016 Conservative housing ministers sit on All Party report without action, promising they are “looking at it”, including housing minister Gavin Barwell.

2016 - Conservatives vote against a Labour motion to make sure all landlords and housing associations ensure residences are fit for human occupation, including provisions for fire safety. The motion is denied by 312 votes to 219. 72 of the MP’s voting against are landlords. The Grenfell residents action group publish a report warning people will die in a fire before the landlord takes notice of their poor fire safety provisions. They are ignored by their landlord.

2017 - Ex-housing minister Gavin Barwell becomes Prime Minister Theresa May’s chief of staff. He never actions the All Party Parliamentary report recommendations. Grenfell Tower is reduced to rubble with the deaths of at least 17 residents as a fire spreads through the building in 4 minutes. It has no fire suppression system or sprinklers. The stairwell is not adequate for a full building evacuation. The emergency lighting is missing from half of the floors. The fire service struggle to reach the building due to previous car park modifications causing access issues as warned by the resident action group in 2013. The death toll could rise to over a 100.

(via anais-ninja-blog)

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

And again. London. A car drives into a group of people outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, London. I think this time it's a deliberate attack on muslims, who were just leaving the mosque after breaking the fast and nightly prayers.

BTW - Last weekend a group of muslims initiated a march against terror in Cologne, Germany. They expected more than 10,000 people to participate. The reality was: less than 3,000 came.

Padfoot wrote:And again. London. A car drives into a group of people outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, London. I think this time it's a deliberate attack on muslims, who were just leaving the mosque after breaking the fast and nightly prayers.

I was just about to go to bed when it came on the news. It does sound like it was a deliberate attack, from what I've seen on this morning's news. I'm calling this cowardice. Yeah, it's terrorism, really, but how brave do you have to be to maim and kill people who are just going about their lives, from behind a wheel?

BTW - Last weekend a group of muslims initiated a march against terror in Cologne, Germany. They expected more than 10,000 people to participate. The reality was: less than 3,000 came.

Can you blame them? They're scared, Paddy. If we're talking your regular Muslim citizen, they are afraid to be out there where they can be targeted. I'm going out today, and I bet I won't see a single lady in hijab, shopping with her kids. This is what happens each and every time, no matter where it occurs, I've seen folks withdraw into their homes for days, often weeks, before they feel safe walk the streets again. And that's as long as we can go for at least a month without incident .

What's needed is the larger populace - non-Muslims - to to stand up, and defend this beleaguered community. To take the time and show some guts already; because, to steal directly from House Speaker Ryan, an attack against one is an attack against all, no matter the reason given.

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

I just read (a couple of hours ago) that Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington commited suicide. This is sad, but it doesn't come unexpected. I heard about him having had a troubled childhood and therefore dealing with drug and alcohol problems, as well as depression. He didn't keep it secret, but apparently he never really managed to cope, even though he sought professional counselling. Poor man.

Padfoot wrote:I just read (a couple of hours ago) that Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington commited suicide. This is sad, but it doesn't come unexpected. I heard about him having had a troubled childhood and therefore dealing with drug and alcohol problems, as well as depression. He didn't keep it secret, but apparently he never really managed to cope, even though he sought professional counselling. Poor man.

Awww . Poor man is right. Speaking of another, there's a marathon of Robin Williams' films on my set right now (the 21st of July is his birthday.) Brilliant. Such a loss.

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." - Aeschylus